


the fault line

by days4daisy



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Clothed Sex, Extra Treat, M/M, Time Travel, Time Travel as an Excuse for Implausible Yet Enjoyable Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:55:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22672888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/days4daisy/pseuds/days4daisy
Summary: "You have my thanks and my respect, captain," Thor says. He follows his words with a kiss - a sudden surge forward, the gesture as chaste as it is passionate.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Thor
Comments: 10
Kudos: 117
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	the fault line

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Silvereye](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silvereye/gifts).



> Happy Chocolate Box!

"You've got to be kidding me."

Steve stands, scepter in hand, on one end of the glass railed walkway. Thor stands on the other. The Thor of this time. Not their Thor, Steve's Thor, who's lost everything including one of his eyes.

This Thor is a memory that feels like a lifetime ago, even standing in the middle of it. Blonde hair long and battle-rough, warm from the fight he and the Avengers just won. Crazy how aliens raining down from the sky feels like simpler times now.

Thor shouldn't be here. In the past Steve knows, Thor didn't leave Loki's side until SHIELD had him contained. Even then, he didn't stray far until it was time for their return to Asgard.

Thor shifts a confused look to the scepter, and Steve thinks fast. "Thought it was safer with me," he explains. "At least until this mess gets cleaned up." And, pressing gently. "Where's Loki?"

"Downstairs. Banner has a hold on him, don't worry. The, ah, large green Banner, I mean." Thor smiles.

Steve tries to return the gesture, but his mind is racing. If the Hulk is down with the tesseract, will that impact his Tony and Scott's chance of retrieving it?

No mayday signals over the comms yet. Steve has to assume the plan is still a go for now.

Besides, it's not like Steve doesn't have his own problems. Like an amped up Asgardian prince who's still watching him with way too much interest.

"Good," Steve says. "Head on down if you want. I'll finish sweeping the floor. Looks like their army wiped out when the bomb went off, but we can't be too careful."

"We cannot," Thor agrees, but his eyes stay narrow and curious. "Actually, captain, I came looking for you."

Did Thor ever seek Steve out after the Battle of New York? The aftermath was a whirlwind of law enforcement, SHIELD, and press. Steve tries to remember.

"Are you alright?" Thor asks. Soft, searching eyes and patiently pressed lips.

Yeah, Steve would remember this.

He smiles off the question. "Thor, I'm not like other people," he says. "I'm a little banged up, but I'll live."

"You are not like most humans," Thor agrees. He crosses the platform, bootsteps heavy and purposeful. Steve instinctively clutches the scepter closer. The last thing he wants is to hurt Thor in this or any time, but the mission is too important. This is their one shot to get this right. To bring everybody back.

Thor notices Steve's unease, of course. Emotional cues have always been tough for the guy. But his warrior eye picks up physical signs well. That soldier mentality is something he and Thor have always shared.

"I mean no offense," Thor says, a hand raised in contrition. "You're unique, captain. Unlike any of your fellows."

"Still sounds a little backhanded," Steve says, but he relaxes. "I'm alright, Thor. Thanks. I'm-" Steve thinks back to this day so long ago. "Tired," he says. "And I could use a shower and a good meal."

"Aye. I'm sure our companions share those sentiments." Thor scans his face, and Steve wonders what he's looking for. If there's any possible way that he could know.

"Thor, we should-"

"You're impressive, captain." Thor's declaration is quiet but serious. "You fight with the strength of ten of your kind."

Steve thinks back to 11 years ago. To Thor's small, impressed smile when Steve asked if he was getting sleepy. They never talked about any of it afterwards. Did they?

"I told you, didn't I?" Steve asks. "About what I am?"

Thor shakes his head. "You did, but it's not your power. It's your passion. Your belief. It was an honor to follow you today. To fall under your lead."

Steve chuckles, because he isn't sure what else to say.

Still nothing from Tony on the comms. Stick to the plan. Adapt when necessary. "It was an honor for me too, Thor," Steve says.

He wonders if he's told his Thor this through the years. If it would have made any difference to what happened to him. Something uncomfortable twists in Steve's chest.

Thor breaks into one of his smiles; wide, bright, and too honest. "I'd like to express my full gratitude as is customary for my people. Is that proper in this realm?"

In Steve's opinion, Thor's already gone above and beyond in saying thanks. But saying no may seem suspicious, and Steve needs to get out of this situation without Thor catching on.

"Yeah, of course," Steve says. "People say thanks all the time here." By the way Thor's eyes sparkle, he seems pleased by this answer.

Then, Thor's large hand is cupping Steve's cheek. As strong as he is, as calloused his fingers from Mjolnir, his touch is gentle. "Thor?" Surprise softens Steve's voice to a whisper.

"You have my thanks and my respect, captain," Thor says. He follows his words with a kiss - a sudden surge forward, somehow as chaste as the gesture is passionate.

Thor is in his space, fingers dragging soft lines across his cheekbone. The warmth of Thor's post-fight body seeps through Steve's uniform. The smoky scent of lightning clings to his skin.

Steve thinks back to 2012. Would his old self have let himself do this?

Did they screw up this timeline somehow? One false move, and everything goes off the rails?

Steve thinks of his Thor. Of what happened to him, what happened to everyone. His chest constricts so hard that he loses his breath.

"Steven?" Thor asks. Voice thick but sudden and sharp with concern.

Steve smiles. "What, you getting sleepy again?" he asks.

Thor gazes at him, worry melting into something hotter. His hand shifts into Steve's hair. Tightens against his scalp. Steve jolts in surprise, but his call to action pulls him forward instead of back. He fills the space between them with a step forward. His arms slide around Thor's waist, the scepter hard against Thor's spine.

Thor greets his initiative with a pleased huff. He takes their new closeness as an invitation to wind an arm around Steve in turn. Clasp a hand into the small of his back. Urge Steve's body forward even though there's no space left between them to fill.

Steve groans into Thor's waiting mouth, and Thor licks the sound away. Thor's armor is hard and unforgiving. But he can still feel through it, by his growl of appreciation. The hand on Steve's back takes a bold trip downward. 'America's ass,' Scott said, and Steve is laughing when he's forced to come up for a desperate breath.

Thor nuzzles at his ear, breathing hot into his hair. "You're magnificent," he says. "Unlike anything I've seen in fifteen hundred years."

Which...right, he's kissing a fifteen hundred year old alien god. As if things aren't crazy enough.

"Showing gratitude on this planet doesn't usually mean all this," Steve tells him, short of breath. "Just so you know."

He's answered by lips sliding from his jaw to caress the column of his throat. A moan is out of Steve before he can decide whether it would be better to hold it back. He should find Tony and Scott, make sure everything is alright.

"I can stop if this is not to your liking," Thor says against the underside of Steve's chin. Steve's head tips back, throat all tight and tendon.

"Don't," Steve says. Close as they are, he feels Thor grin against his skin. Lips and teeth, a gentle scrape to cap off the gesture. His chuckle floods Steve's bloodstream.

Steve should come up for air at some point. His lungs burn and his chest aches, but he can't make himself pull away. Thor somehow knows exactly how to kiss him. How to bite his lip with the perfect sting. How to taste him in a way that leaves him shaking.

Steve's uniform is tight to the point of discomfort, but Thor doesn't seem to care. Between the grind of a leg between his and the slow squeeze of his backside, Steve's body is a blistering mess. Fires crackling up one right after the next.

Thor is hard too, thrust against Steve's hip. He likes when Steve pulls his hair, rumbling pleasure like the purr of some wild animal.

Steve tries to say Thor's name, but Thor bites away the sound. Thor squeezes a sure hand between Steve's legs, fingers nudged against his scrotum. Good feelings spill down Steve's spine. His legs are weak, and his grip fumbles on the scepter. Thor is like stone against him. Steady, unwavering support. Holding Steve, kissing him, pressed against his body like he was always meant to be there and always would be.

Steve wonders how many times he took his time's Thor for granted.

He would be off his feet without the arms Thor links around him. Steve's vision goes white. He can't take a breath through the tremors that barrel through him. Steve feels the rasp of Thor's beard against his kiss-sore lips.

"That's it," Thor breathes against his ear. "Norns, you're beautiful."

Steve huffs an incredulous laugh. He just came in his damn uniform, cradled against Thor like he's a second away from passing out. Thor's face is pink with new warmth, and his own revelry shivers like a bowstring under his skin.

Thor's eyes glow with satisfaction, a lazy smile on his lips. "Next time, I'll show my gratitude in a proper setting," he promises.

Steve smiles faintly. "Next time, huh?"

If Thor notices the change in Steve's temperament, he doesn't mention it. "Mmm," he asserts. "In a warm bed in full solitude. Where I can strip every stitch of this armor from you piece by piece. Spread you out atop the mattress. And appreciate you, captain. Inch by inch."

Longing for that future warms the pit of Steve's belly.

Thor doesn't realize what's happening at first. His satisfaction turns to surprise when the scepter scrapes between his shoulder blades. Slowly, his wide eyes droop.

Steve lowers his dead weight to the floor, helping him lie back without knocking his head.

Standing, Steve looks down at him. His head floods with too many thoughts. Regrets, questions, and - if they survive - endless possibilities.

_"Rogers, where the hell are you? We've got a major problem."_

With a frown, Steve taps his comm. "On my way," he says. He heads to the stairwell, leaving Thor asleep on the floor.

Steve comes up with excuses for the swollen mouth. They'll notice, especially Tony. But turns out, things are so bad, he doesn't need to use them.


End file.
